Chapter 28 - Arc 2: The Linyuan Small Secret Realm | Chapter 28: My Name is Yun Lie
Translator: Lynn
The meditation lasted for a duration of three days and three nights.
When Xu Ziqing emerged from this state, he let out a slow exhale, unsure whether he should feel joy or sorrow.
He was aware of his fortunate encounter, having absorbed the complete Essence of the Ethereal Wood, which would facilitate his progress. Additionally, the demon vine seed had spontaneously integrated with him after accompanying him for many years.
However, the demon vine had now become the essence of his cultivation. Henceforth, any harm inflicted upon the demon vine would directly impact his own cultivation, and its destruction would result in his cultivation being utterly ruined.
Xu Ziqing also understood that, apart from the original wood, he needed to possess nine secondary kinds of wood in order to fully complete his techniques. These secondary woods acted as supporting elements, while the remaining woods served as subordinate elements. The subordinate woods followed the directives of the secondary woods, which in turn followed the commands of the original wood.
His concern now centered on the demon vine, as he had received feedback from his dantian indicating that the demon vine seeds had acknowledged him as their owner and would soon sprout!
The bloodthirsty nature of the demon vine dictated that it thrived on the flesh and blood of cultivators, followed by creatures with spiritual intelligence, and then mortal beings. However, Xu Ziqing was not a practitioner of evil arts, so how could he treat human lives as expendable? Even demonic beasts, unless they were inherently vicious and cannibalistic, were reluctant to kill for selfish reasons.
This predicament posed a dilemma.
After a prolonged period of contemplation, Xu Ziqing still could not devise a solution that would allow him to have the best of both worlds. Recalling the words spoken by the man in white prior to his departure from the storage ring, he let out a bitter smile.
His concerns were not solely focused on the sprouting of the demon vine seeds; the instability of his soul posed a significant problem as well.
With a sigh, Xu Ziqing concluded that it would be best to tackle one issue at a time.
Ten days had passed since the previous events.
Deep within the cavern beneath the lake, time seemed to stand still, unaffected by the notions of day and night. The air was thick with vibrant energy, permeating every corner.
In the midst of a grassy field, a young man sat cross-legged, clad in a simple garment. Above his head, a torrent of green water cascaded down. After a prolonged period, the young man’s eyes fluttered open, emitting a shimmering green light that bestowed upon him an otherworldly presence. As the green light receded, a faint smile adorned his face, exuding a warm and natural demeanor.
Following the advice of the man in white, the young man ceased sleeping to prevent his soul from departing his body due to its instability. Instead, he immersed himself in deep meditation, tempering his physical form, and opening his acupuncture points. Through this process, his soul gradually stabilized, no longer prone to separation.
He now understood that the void he once believed to be a realm within the ring was, in fact, the absence of anything within it. With his soul now secure, he could establish communication with the person within the ring without physically entering. He simply had to immerse his consciousness into it.
With a gentle smile gracing his lips, Xu Ziqing’s consciousness traversed through the spatial realm of the ring, reaching the stone platform where the man in white resided.
“Xu Ziqing took the liberty to disturb you,” he spoke in a soft and respectful tone, hoping not to disturb the man in white.
The man in white remained still, neither lifting his gaze nor opening his eyes, his countenance as cold as snow.
Upon witnessing the lack of reproach or expulsion, Xu Ziqing felt a sense of relief. Encouraged, he continued, “I have come here to seek your guidance. When I was young, I stumbled upon this ring, and recently, it recognized me as its master. Considering that you once possessed it, I wanted to inquire if it would be inconvenient for me to store something inside it.”
The man in white responded, “No, you may use it.”
Xu Ziqing felt a wave of relief. Although the ring held great importance and had already come into his possession, he harbored a deep sense of gratitude towards the man in white and did not wish to act against his wishes. He had contemplated finding an alternative solution if the man disapproved, but now he realized he had unnecessarily worried himself.
His smile deepened, and he couldn’t help but admire the man in white’s composure and grace. A desire to forge a friendship with him emerged within Xu Ziqing.
Thinking that it wouldn’t be too presumptuous given their acquaintance of a few months, he summoned his courage and asked, “From now on, I will be residing nearby. I… may I know your name?”
As Xu Ziqing voiced his question, he couldn’t help but feel a hint of trepidation.
He remembered that this gentleman was a ghost who possessed such a remarkable aura, suggesting he had been even more extraordinary in his mortal life. For the first time in his two lifetimes, Xu Ziqing desired friendship, despite the vast gap between them. He wanted to take a chance.
Nervously, Xu Ziqing felt that time dragged on, making it difficult to gauge.
Finally, the words reached his ears…
“My name is Yun Lie.”
In its closed state, the secret realm remained concealed within an ethereal realm, impervious to entry by anyone.
However, this did not hinder the inhabitants within.
On a day that clearly wasn’t designated as an open day, a young man stood in the forest wearing a tattered coat, his attire adorned with patches. He pointed towards a patch of lush green grass, radiating a dense aura, murmuring something under his breath as if reciting an incantation.
Suddenly, a fierce gust of wind rushed up from behind, carrying with it a pungent odor!
An aggressive bull charged at the young man, its eyes brimming with greed and animalistic desire, perceiving him as its next meal!
Caught off guard, the boy was about to be struck from behind when he swiftly turned around, extending his palm.
In an instant, a white sprout burst forth from his palm, rapidly elongating and transforming into a slender vine.
The vine, as white as delicate sheep’s white jade, possessed a remarkable softness and beauty. However, its speed was astonishing, reaching the iron-armored bull within moments and entwining around it.
Despite being no thicker than a little finger and lacking any leaves, the vine should have been exceedingly fragile, easily snapped with a slight strain. Yet, as if encountering something dreadful, the iron-armored bull immediately thrashed about, stamping its hooves and bellowing in anguish.
Observing this, the young man let out a soft sigh and averted his gaze.
He witnessed the white vine coiling around the bull’s body thrice, tightening its grip until it burrowed into the flesh. Then, the vine gradually took on a faint red hue, progressing to scarlet and eventually blazing as brightly as blood.
Upon closer inspection, one could discern blood trickling out from beneath the iron-armored bull’s fur, cascading down its hooves to form small pools. Meanwhile, the white vine extended its tip, lightly touching the blood puddles and promptly absorbing them.
In just a matter of seconds, the iron-armored bull withered away in silence, leaving behind naught but its skeleton and a patch of fur. As the bull transformed into an empty husk, the front end of the white vine lifted, the entire vine receding and shrinking until it vanished into the boy’s hand.
At that moment, the teenager turned his head, paying no heed to the rolled-up bull hide and the discarded skeleton.
The young man in question is none other than Xu Ziqing. It has been six months since his soul solidified that fateful day. The seed of the demon vine sprouted five months ago and was guided by Xu Ziqing to the Laogong point in his right palm.
The Lao Gong is located at the center of the palm where the tip of the middle finger touches the palm when you make a fist. In Classical texts, it is located where the tip of the ring finger meets the palm when we make a fist (between the 3rd and 4th metacarpal bones). Either location can be used.
Xu Ziqing admired the vine’s appearance but grappled with the challenge of nourishing it. Eventually, he made a firm decision and utilized his own spiritual power to pierce through the whirlpool at the lake’s bottom, capturing prey from the secret realm.
Initially, as the eagle honed its hunting skills, it would often catch rats and rabbits that lacked spiritual intelligence—one for itself and one for Xu Ziqing. Xu Ziqing would then cradle the young shoots of the demon vine in his hands, placing them on the small prey. The young shoots would then absorb as much nourishment as they needed, with one prey per day sufficing.
As the vine grew and extended thin tendrils, it required dozens of rats and rabbits daily to satiate its hunger. However, this ultimately resulted in the extermination of the two species, which became unbearable. Xu Ziqing realized that the rabbit’s body lacked sufficient blood and spiritual energy. If he wanted the vine to truly thrive, he needed the flesh and blood of a demon.
Nevertheless, Xu Ziqing did not wish to indiscriminately kill demon beasts, given their spiritual intelligence. He devised a solution—only demon beasts that sought to harm him would fall victim to his trap, sparing those that posed no threat. This way, he could eliminate the remorse.
Though unsettled by the gory sight of the vine, Xu Ziqing gradually grew accustomed to it as long as he avoided scrutinizing it closely.
Today, after the vine finished devouring the iron-armored bull, it retreated into its master’s dantian to digest. Xu Ziqing lifted his head slightly and let out a whistle.
The fledgling, which was initially no larger than a hand, had now grown over two feet long. It possessed steel-like claws, and an iron-hook beak, and exuded a spirited aura. Clad in black feathers, it sported layers of golden plumes atop, akin to an ink stone gilded with gold, presenting a dazzling sight. It emanated strength and majesty!
The eagle perched on Xu Ziqing’s shoulder, its grip forceful yet not injuring his flesh, indicating its close bond with him.
Affection glimmered in Xu Ziqing’s eyes as he softly inquired, “Chonghua, have you eaten your fill today?”
The eagle emitted a contented chirp, expressing its satisfaction.
Xu Ziqing smiled and said, “After today’s work, you and I will return and practice diligently.”
The eagle nodded in agreement.
The duo approached the lake, where Xu Ziqing stowed the eagle in his storage ring. His body was then enveloped in a spiritual light that repelled the lake water, allowing him to paddle swiftly. He located the whirlpool and leaped down into its depths.
The powerful whirlpool kept Xu Ziqing suspended, enabling him to descend rapidly until he reached the cave, landing safely.
The eagle flapped its wings and hovered in the air, eliciting laughter from Xu Ziqing. Such a moment was rare for him since he couldn’t keep any living beings within the ring due to the risk of suffocation. The eagle only experienced temporary discomfort due to Xu Ziqing’s speed, which posed no significant harm.
After a while, the eagle took flight and perched on a higher branch of a nearby tree to rest.
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